Cheerleading our tailoring procrastinators

April

Queen of the Tailoring Procrastinators here, just popping by to say that I took 4 pieces to the seamstress this morning!

They have been hanging on the "to be tailored" hook in my closet for a mortifying amount of time but I finally took them in.

And now I feel I could conquer any challenge.

2 years ago

General

34 replies

Latest reply was from cat2

Lana

(website)

Veteran

Yayyyyy! Great job, it’s hard to get it done. I have a bag ready to go too.

2 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Oh you should feel so proud! (Looking here at a coat with a button that’s been missing for Years!)

2 years ago

Greyscale

Veteran

I needed this inspiration. Just bought two lovely pairs of relaxed trousers, one linen and one wool, that need almost 6” of hemming. I procrastinate because I always worry I’ll make them too short. I also have a new pair of wool Bermuda shorts that might look better at the intended length, or maybe they’re great as-is. I should post a photo.

2 years ago

Anonymous

Go April Go April!
I did a couple too that I just picked up Saturday!

2 years ago

BlueJay

Veteran

YAY! I am so cheering you on!

I have a pile of mending to do for my items and our DD's, as you said, "for a mortifying amount of time." I did manage to mend a top. One thing down, not sure how many others to go...my daughter has grown out of some things so I don't have to mend them anymore...does that count? Probably not. I should try to mend one item per week. Perhaps it will encourage more motivation.

I also need to find a tailor for more ambitious alterations...

2 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I am definitely on that team! After looking at them for over a year, I took my pants in for alterations. My new pants only had to wait for six weeks to go to the seamstress. That would be an accomplishment if I could get myself to take my coat to the tailor after thinking about it for a couple of years.

2 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I’m not sure if my stuff is waiting for me to mend it or waiting to go to the alterations place to be mended, but it sure is waiting!

2 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

It’s like getting something new, now that they can go into rotation.

2 years ago

April

Veteran

Best part is, one of the four items is a lined wool blazer (i.e., not wearable again until many months from now.)

What would be typical for me would be to pull it out in November and realize I had STILL not addressed the fit issues.

I hope action begets action, because I think there are still some things in the closet that need a little nip tuck.

2 years ago

Echo

Veteran

You are inspiring. I, too, have an embarrassing number of things I need altered, but I just can never seem to find the time. I need to remind myself it is worth it and just DO IT!

2 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Sigh, I had a very good alterations person pre-Covid but she has left and I must look again. Thank you for the nudge!

2 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Thanks for the reminder, April.
Good job on taking your things in. I took something in last week, too- can't wait to get it back and start wearing it!

2 years ago

April

Veteran

Why do I put tailoring off so long?

Because I hate being fitted. I dislike the trying on process, then emerging from the changing booth and stepping onto the little platform while they pinch the fabric and apply pins. (And then good luck getting that dress off without sticking yourself in the eye!)

What I love about it is the results. Items that are no longer "just a little bit wrong" but just exactly right.

2 years ago

bella

(website)

Veteran

I am such a procrastinator when it comes to alterations. I also have a jacket that I need to take to the dry cleaners! It is a spring/fall jacket and too warm here now to wear it, so I suspect I will wait until fall now

2 years ago

April

Veteran

Plenty of room at the procrastinators' table, Bella. You can have lunch with us any time - or maybe dinner, or breakfast tomorrow...

2 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

The thing that cures this for me is that my last couple of alterations were new purchases that I would not have kept unless they could be altered. They required a little consult with my seamstress to be sure and see what could be done before removing tags and committing. That forced me into getting to the tailor within the merchandise return time window!

Now, mending is a whole other story. I pulled out my sewing box last week to put a button back on a shirt, and discovered a small pile of items I’d put aside to possibly stitch up in various ways (a wrap top that needed a stitch to keep the bust closed, etc). I looked at the items, and all but one went into the donation bag — they’d been there so long I just decided I didn’t care about them anymore. When I really want to wear something, I get it altered or fix it right away.

2 years ago

April

Veteran

Oh, my - you're so right, Janet, about mending procrastination.

I have a summer linen shirt that has had a dangling button since the start of last summer. I stubbornly tell myself I am capable (just barely) of sewing on a shirt button and then I don't do it.

Maybe I'll challenge myself to sew on that dang button before my tailoring is ready.

2 years ago

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

I have a whole bag of clothes I *promised* I'd mend before I left HK - & guess what? They're still there! Well, at least I'd managed to sort them into categories before coming to the UK (the type of alteration/ fix needed), but still... lol...

I think part of me is just scared to find a tailor I can trust, either in the UK or HK - I've had too many experiences where they *pretend* to listen to what you want but actually they just do their own thing (for example, my wedding dress came back with shoulder pads & half (instead of 3/4) sleeves). I've tried to have them fix it, but it usually comes back even worse!

So now I just procrastinate because my own sewing skills are subpar - maybe this summer I'll finally have lower stress levels + enough time to sit down with my pile & some YouTube tutorials. One can hope

2 years ago

April

Veteran

Goodness, Z - I would also be quite upset if my wedding dress came back mangled.

The only experience I've ever had like that was with a pair of boots I was trying to get fitted. Took them to the cobbler to take in the calf and they came back with one leg completely unzippable, it was so tight.

Same cobbler had done a perfect job the first time I tried this, so not sure what happened.

2 years ago

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, I'm not sure what's going on in their minds lol but it can sometimes feel like a gamble to get someone else to alter your clothes (unless they send you progress pics along the way). Frustrating you had it happen with someone you trusted though - maybe they got distracted by another order whilst fixing yours, lol? Who knows!

Thankfully the dress was still wearable but I've kept some of the leftover lace fabric from it still, just in case I ever get round to lengthening the sleeves (see above as to why I'll probably procrastinate that too, lol...)

2 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Well done, April! ....and others. Alterations can be SOOO WORTH IT!

I don't procrastinate with alterations or mending because I can't wait to wear my stuff! (Had to wait during lockdowns and through COVID surges though).

I do however, procrastinate terribly with buying workout wear - (which is yoga wear for yoga). It took me at least a year to purchase these salutation joggers as an alternative to leggings - and I finally ordered them!

Athleta

Gap Salutation Jogger

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2 years ago

cat2

Veteran

I put most alterations on hold during the pandemic because we were not going anywhere and have a stack of things to take in. I hope to get them all done this Summer, regardless of season so I know what I have. I have a tailor I trust, but it took several unfortunate experiments to find her.

2 years ago

April

Veteran

I have until Monday to get that button sewn tightly to its linen shirt...

2 years ago

Minaminu

Veteran

Go April! Nicely done!

thank you for motivating me to take my blazer to the tailor, I was planning to do it since last December!

2 years ago

April

Veteran

You're very welcome, MM. Get it done, you'll be so impressed with yourself!

2 years ago

anne

Veteran

I was unsuccessful in buying some new tracksuit pants, but I did buy some new elastic so I can just replace the waistband elastic on my old ones. I'll have to do it by hand though, as I broke my sewing machine.

Good reminder to get on and do it!

Well done beating your procrastination, April!

2 years ago

anchie

Veteran

Another procrastinator that needs a little push. My tailor is in my former neighborhood, and when we moved about 8 years ago I never found a new one that is more convenient so I procrastinate even more because of that.

2 years ago

April

Veteran

I hear you, Anchie. Every tiny barrier to something we dislike doing becomes bigger than it should.

Gretchen Rubin puts it this way: Make it easy to do right.

Is there something fun you could link to a tailoring trip? Lunch with a friend in your old neighborhood? A shop that you enjoy in that vicinity?

2 years ago

Greyscale

Veteran

I'm going to make the trip to the tailor tomorrow! I almost managed today but forgot he's closed on Mondays.

I've learned that my tailor's shop was actually used as the inspiration for the design of the tailor shop in the Pixar movie Soul! (I haven't seen it.)

2 years ago

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